THE Wee Ginger Dug writes in The National: “There are several reasons for the increase in support for independence. It must be said it’s not due to campaigning for independence on the part of the Scottish Government, which has been notable only for its absence from the independence debate”.

I am genuinely tired of snide and wholly inaccurate assertions such as this that are constantly being levelled at the Scottish Government by people who claim to be desperate for independence but are instead doing a better job at undermining it than all the Unionist politicians put together.

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If they get their wish, and the SNP and Sturgeon-led government is toppled or replaced by personnel who consider that their job in government is to primarily campaign for independence, or even worse, if the present Scottish Government abandons their first duty of care in favour of openly promoting independence as their primary objective, then we will see the momentum for independence that we are now witnessing disappear quicker than snow off a dyke.

It may have escaped the notice of this “Dug”, but a government’s job is to govern, whilst campaigning is the remit of political parties. Having said that, actions speak louder than words and if the Scottish Government’s daily example of governance is not presenting the best empirical evidence for an independent Scotland, perhaps “the Dug” would like to explain why support for it is slowly, but steadily, increasing?

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If he does not consider their example a necessary part of the campaign for independence, what does he consider as necessary? It may surprise the “Dugs” of this world that this government was elected to govern on behalf of the whole of the Scottish electorate and not simply those who support independence, and that by doing just that, they are slowly winning hearts and minds to the cause of independence. Or perhaps the rise in support for independence is despite such evidence and I am just incapable of seeing it? I would be obliged if the “Dug” could enlighten me if I am wrong.

We have a whole raft of naysayers and Nicola haters on The National website daily condemning the Scottish Government for not doing what they were not elected to do. They were not elected to campaign for independence, but to govern, and again, it may have escaped such people’s notice, but they are doing a rather good job of it. Europe and the rest of the world can see that, but not apparently the “Dug” and people like him.

I repeat, actions speak louder than words, and all the campaigning in the world has not brought the results for increasing support for independence that the steady example of competent management has produced. That is why, in my humble opinion, support for independence is growing. Campaigning takes many forms, and by their example, this Scottish Government is driving a campaign for independence that is solidly and evidentially based.

Now it is true that support for independence is also being driven by the lies, mismanagement, and incompetence of Unionism and Westminster, but by their actions, the Scottish Government are providing a demonstrably attractive and acceptable alternative. Such cannot be exempted from the overall campaign for independence, but rather must be viewed as an intrinsic and vital part of it.

We must not allow ideological purity to distract from reality.

Peter Kerr
Kilmarnock

KENNY MacAskill and his ilk do the SNP and independence more harm than good by viewing the campaign through a prism of negativity (MacAskill says SNP needs to ‘wake up’ when it comes to indy, June 24). They only have to look at the polls to see that the call for independence is increasing and the FM is doing a better job of winning support than most activists have done since 2014, showing that a strong leader is a real asset to the cause.

Once the pandemic is over and campaigning commences, hopefully by the Holyrood elections in 2021 the SNP will be in a perfect place to launch their bid for the next independence referendum. The constant whinging of some party members will only undermine the good work being done by others supporting Nicola Sturgeon and the membership’s efforts, who are showing a powerful, united message of solidarity to the country.

Christine Smith
Troon

JUST watched Holyrood’s questions with my partner. It was like an episode of Gogglebox, with us screaming at the TV when Jackson Carlaw and Richard Leonard asked questions.

Nicola responded impeccably and robustly to their pathetic questions and showed up their shallowness. There is no way anyone could have done a better job in responding to, tackling and leading us through the coronavirus crisis.

We are so lucky we have a leader of such strength and integrity. This was echoed by a surprising source, the Liberal leader Willie Rennie, when he stood up to question the First Minister and complimented her and her ministers on their efforts.

The other leaders should take heed and realise this is what the Scottish public want. More cooperation, support, and less political posturing. Please lets not continue to emulate the Westminster circus. We’re surely better than that!

Robin MacLean
Fort Augustus

WILL businesses across England be welcoming Boris Johnson’s measures with open arms? Publicans, restaurateurs and hairdressers in England are now on the horns of a dilemma: apply common sense, stay closed a little longer and risk going broke or losing out to rivals; alternatively defy logic and open in the hope that enough customers come in to cover the overheads, all the time praying that they will not be remembered forever as the first in the area to be closed after their customers suffered or were the cause of an outbreak of Covid-19.

John Jamieson
South Queensferry